1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to bowling balls and to methods for manufacturing bowling balls. In particular, the present invention relates to scented or fragrant bowling balls, as well as to methods for fabricating such bowling balls. The present invention also relates to other articles of manufacture that include substantially rigid, nonporous, scented rubber or rubber-like material.
2. Background of Related Art
Conventionally, bowling balls have been formed from machinable, thermosetting plastic materials. A typical bowling ball that meets the criteria that have been set by the American Bowling Congress (ABC) has an outside diameter of between 8.500 and 8.595 inches, providing such a bowling ball with a circumference of about 27 inches. In addition, ABC standards require that a bowling ball be within 0.010 of an inch of a spherical shape. The Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC) has also set size limitations for balls used by members competing in its events.
The materials from which bowling balls may be formed may be substantially homogeneous, forming a solid, substantially unitary structure. Alternatively, a bowling ball may include a core or one or more other weighted members that are formed from a material or materials that differ from the material of the outer shell thereof. Typically, the materials from which a core or any other weighted members are formed have greater densities than the outer shell of such a bowling ball.
Polyurethanes are an example of a material from which bowling balls or the outer shells thereof may be formed. Polyurethanes are polymers that are typically produced by reacting a polyisocyanate, sometimes referred to as an “A-side,” with a material that includes alcohol groups, which is known in the art as a hydroxyl-containing material and is sometimes referred to as a “B-side” of the polyurethane. Examples of B-side materials that may be used to produce polyurethane include the polyols that are derived from propylene oxide and from trichlorobutylene oxide. In a so-called “polycondensation reaction,” where a polymer and water, alcohol, or another simple molecule are the products, the A- and B-side molecules combine to form the polyurethane. The following chemical equation illustrates the basic reaction between the A-side (R′NCO) and the B-side (R2OH) to form polyurethane:R′NCO+R2OH→R′NHCOOR2,where R and R′ are each hydrocarbons.
In use, bowling balls are subjected to the often objectionable smells of a bowling alley, including cigarette smoke, sweat, and shoe odors. After use, bowling balls are often placed into a bag that includes other items, such as gloves, supports, or braces that are used in bowling, as well as bowling shoes. Thus, even when stored, bowling balls are often exposed to somewhat objectionable odors. Further, bowling bags are sometimes stored in the trunks of cars, which may carry other undesirable smells.
Unfortunately, polyurethane, from which bowling balls are typically manufactured, as well as other materials that may be used in the manufacture of bowling balls, often possess some capacity to absorb the odors to which they are exposed. Moreover, some bowlers find the smells of the materials from which bowling balls are made objectionable. In some instances, the scents of such materials may even cause physical reactions, such as nausea or headaches.
In use, a bowler typically positions a bowling ball in close proximity to his or her nose, where the often objectionable smells carried by the bowling ball become readily apparent to the bowler.
Accordingly, there is a need for bowling balls and other articles of manufacture with pleasant scents, as well as for methods for manufacturing such articles.